Longest Living Dog Breeds - TOP 15

When looking for a dog, it’s normal to wonder what your chosen dog breed’s lifespan may be. It’s common that, before adopting a dog, many people wonder which dog breeds have the the highest life expectancy, with the lowest probability of suffering from diseases. Are you wondering which are the shortest and longest living dog breeds? If so, you’ve come to the right place!

For more about the top 15 longest living dog breeds, keep reading here at AnimalWised.

Dog life expectancy chart

In general, a dog’s life expectancy can vary between 8 and 20 years. We do,however, need to take into account that smaller dog breeds tend to live longer than larger dog breeds. But to calculate a dog’s longevity, some aspects need to considered, such as:

Breed

Genetics

Preventive medicine

Nutrition

Environmental factors

Sterilization

Gender

Physical activity

Mental stimulation

Oral care

A dog’s life expectancy is not only determined by factors inherent to its breed and genetic inheritance, but also depends - to a large extent - on the care provided by the dog’s tutor. If a dog lives in a healthy environment, receives the proper care, a high quality diet, mental and physical stimulation and the adequate preventative medicine, their lifespan immediately increases.

Therefore, as dog tutors, it is our responsibility to generate the proper conditions that will favor our dog’s health and well-being.

For more about a dog’s age and what a dog needs to live longer, we recommend reading our following articles:

Lifespan of dog breeds

Now that we know that the a dog’s lifespan depends on various factors, both internal and external, we can list the top 15 longest living dog breeds. With due care and surrounded by a positive environment, all of the dogs listed below can live for at least 12 to 13 years. Some of the dogs on this list can even exceed 18 years of age, if offered to correct care. Keep reading and discover our list of shortest and longest living dog breeds:

10. Lagotto Romagnolo

10th on our list of longest living large dog breeds is the Lagotto Romagnolo. This Italian dog breed was historically trained as a waterfowl hunter. Today, however, they are known for their truffle hunting abilities.

In addition to its beauty and versatility when it comes to learning, the Lagotto Romagnolo is also known for its longevity of between 14 and 17 years. They are strong and resistant dogs that, with the adequate preventive medicine and positive environment, hardly get sick. However, these large loving living dog breeds can develop some common canine diseases, such as hip dysplasia.

9. Boykin spaniel

The boykin spaniel is a beautiful and not-so-well-known representative of the extended spaniel dog family. This dog breed, of American origin, developed at the beginning of the 20th century in South Carolina. The boykin spaniel was initially trained to hunt ducks, turkeys and other waterfowl that abounded in the watershed of the Wateree River, for which they are excellent swimmers.

Due to its remarkable adaptive capacity, its energetic character and great health, the boykin spaniel has also gained popularity as a companion animal. Another "advantage" of this beautiful dog breed is that they have an estimated life expectancy of between 14 and 16 years.

8. Jack Russell terrier

The jack Russel terrier has a brave and strong personality that, despite its small size, hardly goes unnoticed.

In addition to its temperamental, hyperactive and bold character, Jack Russel terriers are also characterized by a privileged life expectancy, and are known as one of the most popular small long living dog breeds. Small and intrepid, this dog breed can live up to 16 years under favorable conditions. They can, as with all dogs, still suffer from some common canine diseases, such as:

7. Pomeranian

The Pomeranian dog breed is the smallest representative of the Spitz family and stands out as one of the oldest living dogs in the world. Their life expectancy is estimated at between 12 and 15 years, but Pomeranian dogs can live longer when provided with a complete and balanced diet, adequate physical and mental stimulation and essential care.

It is worth noting that Pomeranian dogs are sensitive to cold and are easily affected by sudden weather changes. For them to enjoy a privileged longevity, they will need to be protected from colder temperatures and receive adequate preventive medicine to combat the following common diseases in Pomeranian dogs:

6. Toy poodle

The toy poodle is not only one of the longest living dog breeds, but it is also one of the most popular miniature dog breeds in the world! These dogs usually live for approximately 15 years, but many individuals can reach the age of 17 or 18 if they’ve receive adequate preventive medicine, balanced nutrition and affection.

These small and adorable furry dogs also have a low genetic predisposition to most common canine inherited diseases. However, they may develop the following conditions:

5. Dachshund

The dachshund dog breed, also known as a sausage dog, is one of the most popular and long-lived German dog breeds in the world. These playful, intrepid and love-to-bark dogs can live between 13 and 17 years, as long as they receive the appropriate care.

Despite their remarkable life expectancy, sausage dogs can suffer from spinal injuries and intervertebral disc damage. Other common diseases in the Teckel dog are:

Patellar dislocation

Epilepsy

Glaucoma

Hypothyroidism

Progressive retinal atrophy

Have you just adopted a gorgeous Dachshund? If so, you’ll love our list of Dachshund dog names: male and female.

4. Rat terrier

The Rat terrier is a not-so-well-known American dog which is 4th on our longest living dog breeds. This dog breed has not yet been officially recognized by the FCI, but is recognized by the American Kennel club. This dog breed was initially trained as a farm hunting dog in the United States, used mainly to track and detect rodents thereby preventing damage to agricultural production and the spread of rat diseases.

Despite its small size, the rat terrier is a very muscular and energetic dog that requires a high dose of physical activity to maintain a balanced temperament. Known for its excellent health and low predisposition to the development of hereditary diseases, their life expectancy is usually estimated at between 15 and 16 years.

3. Border collie

The border collie is considered as one of the most intelligent dog breeds in the world! Not only this, but it also stands out for its excellent health and physical endurance. A border collie’s life expectancy is estimated between 14 and 17 years, although they reveal a certain susceptibility to developing hip dysplasia, epilepsy and collie eye anomaly (CEA).

This dog breed is incredibly special and shows incredible versatility, being able to perform with excellence when it comes to basic and advanced training, canine sports and therapy. However, their training requires perseverance, dedication and canine education knowledge, therefore, the border collie is not recommended for novice tutors.

2. Shiba inu

The Shiba Inu occupies a privileged position in our ranking of the longest living dog breeds, however, their life expectancy has brought up some controversies among specialists. According to some, their average life expectancy is 15 years, but others claim that Shiba Inu can easily reach 18 years or even more, as long as they receive the proper care.

In addition, these fluffy dog breeds present a low genetic predisposition to developing hereditary or degenerative diseases, which is why this dog is also considered as one of the healthiest dog breeds in the world. The only conditions that register a certain prevalence in this Japanese dog breed are hip dysplasia and hypothyroidism.

1. Chihuahua

Besides being the smallest dog in the world, the charming and courageous chihuahua is also the longest living dog breed. Their life expectancy is estimated between 15 and 18 years, but some individuals manage to live up to 20 years with the correct care. These dogs are, however, very sensitive to cold and sudden temperature change and often require a coat in winter.

It is also equally important to mention that there are some common Chihuahua dog disease that should receive attention so as not to affect their health, these include:

Longest living large dog breeds

As we’ve already mentioned, smaller dog breeds tend to live longer than larger dog breeds. With this in mind, however, we can conclude that the longest living dog breeds large, include:

Alaskan malamute (12-15 years)

Belgian shepherd (12.5 years)

Greyhound (12 years)

Irish settler (13 years)

Giant schnauzer (10-12 years)

If you love large dog breeds, we have the perfect list for you! Take a look at our list of the cutest large dog breeds.

Do mixed breed dogs live longer?

Mixed dog breeds tend to have a longer lifespan than purebred dogs. Not having been subjected to the intense selective crossings that allowed for the standardization of dog breeds, mongrel dogs have a high genetic diversity and low consanguinity. For this reason, they are less predisposed to developing hereditary and degenerative diseases that severely affect most canine breeds.

As a result, they tend to get sick less often and live longer than pure bred dogs.

Shortest living dog breeds

And to finish off our dog life expectancy chart, we’ll be listing the shortest living dog breeds:

French Mastiff (5-8 years)

Bernese mountain dog (6-8 years)

Irish wolfhound (6-10 years)

Boxer (10-13 years)

Newfoundland (9 years)

This shorter lifespan, however, doesn’t make these dogs any less lovely to have in a home. And remember, with the right amount of care, mental and physical stimulation and a high quality diet, all dogs can live longer than expected!

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